To: glbpoc
Subject: Campaign for Military Service response to Clinton's Gay Ban Policy
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STATEMENT BY THOMAS B. STODDARD, COORDINATOR,
CAMPAIGN FOR MILITARY SERVICE, IN RESPONSE TO
PRESIDENT CLINTON'S GAY-BAN POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT
July 19, 1993
"The Administration's new policy, announced today by the
President, constitutes no advance whatsoever for this country's
lesbian and gay servicemembers, and contradicts the President's
own words.
"Under the new policy, lesbian and gay servicemembers may
still not acknowledge who they are. Under the new policy, lesbian
and gay servicemembers may still not express affection toward a
loved one. Under the new policy, lesbian and gay servicemembers
may still not engage in private sexual conduct permitted
heterosexual servicemembers. Under the new policy, lesbian and
gay servicemembers must still lie and dissemble in order to serve
their country.
"In short, under the new policy, lesbian and gay service
members may be gay only in the abstract -- only in their private,
unarticulated thoughts.
"The Administration labels its new policy "don't ask, don't
tell, don't pursue." The policy is more aptly called "let's pretend" --
"let's pretend" gay people don't exist, even though we know they
do.
"James Carville, the President's spin doctor, asserted on
television Friday night that the new policy "moved the ball forward."
It does not. At most it moves the ball sideways. It merely infuses
inconsistency and double-talk into the existing policy of
discrimination. It says a lesbian may visit a gay bar, but not dance
or touch the hand of another woman. It says a gay man may read a
gay book, but not disclose his sexual orientation to a colleague, even
his closest friend. It says that a gay person may have a photo of a
domestic partner on a workdesk, but not identify the nature of the
relationship with that person. Such absurdities do not represent an
advance. They constitute hypocritical temporizing.
"Moreover, the promise to end witch-hunts and unfair
investigations is a hollow one. Even if the government refrains from
the aggressive, formal investigations of the past, its underlying
policy will continue to encourage informal investigations by
vindictive or malicious colleagues. So long as lesbian and gay
servicemembers are subject to discharge based on who they are,
they will continue to be victimized by the system, and individuals
within the system.
"The President promised in January to issue an executive
order "which would end the present policy . . . of the exclusion
from military service solely on the basis of sexual orientation."
Today he broke that promise. Let me be clear. The President did
not promise to "move the ball forward." He did not promise to go
as far as the Joint Chiefs permitted. He did not promise to consult
Congress, and act accordingly. He promised to issue an executive
order "ending" the present policy.
"The President could have lifted up the conscience of the
country. He could have fulfilled the country's yearning for moral
leadership. Instead he acceded -- without a fight -- to the
stereotypes and prejudices he himself had disparaged.
"The President's surrender to prejudice does not bring an
end to the debate of the past six months. It merely prolongs it.
The debate will continue. The struggle will endure. And the
ultimate goal will be realized: eventually, completely and universally,
lesbians and gay men will achieve their right to equal treatment in
the armed forces of the United States.
"We thank today those who have stood with us. We note with
particular gratitude the statements of Mrs. Coretta Scott King,
Senator Barry Goldwater, Senator Edward M. Kennedy,
Congressman Ronald Dellums, and Senator Bob Kerry. We will
never forget your response to our call to conscience."